The Valley has added several buy-sell-trade video game stores in recent years. In addition to chains such as GameStop, the region has The Video Game Store in downtown Allentown and Planet Games in Emmaus.

A lot of readers contacted me about a new eatery that is hard to miss on Easton's South Side: Sole Mio Italian Grille at the former Hilltop Cafe at 204 W. Madison St.

Owners spent nearly a year renovating the space, transforming it into a contemporary and bright restaurant with a wrap-around porch. The interior upgrades include new flooring, seating for 100, and an area for private parties and banquets.

The family-run eatery is owned by Frank and Joann Tolotta with daughter Tricia Tolotta-Irving, and son Robbie, owner of Pizzaville in Bath and Northstar Catering.

Owners describe Sole Mio as a traditional Italian restaurant with some flair. The menu includes pizza, ravioli, lasagna, sandwiches, chicken parmigiana, and veal Marsala. The eatery, which is BYOB, also serves some interesting fare, such as surf and turf, dijonnaise crab cakes and osso buco.

These new merchants add to what has been a steady growth of new retailers in Easton in recent months. Months ago I mentioned newbies such as Sweet Girlz Bakery at 40 N. Third St. and The Denim Project in the Eastonian building at 140 Northampton St.

There's more on the horizon for the city since the historic Mount Vernon Ale House building is coming back to life. Popular coffee connoisseur Troy Reynard and his wife, Kathy, have teamed with longtime friends Brad and Judy Nelson to turn the historic building into a pub complete with a micro-brewing operation.

The first phase of the $1.9 million project could be open to the public as early as this summer, Reynard said.

The brew pub, called Two Rivers Brewing Co., will be anchored by the art deco wooden bar on the first floor.

The brewing venture gives new life to the four-story building at 542 Northampton St., which has been a boarding house, hotel, bar, restaurant and — according to legend, a popular Prohibition-era brothel.

When will Golden Corral open at Lehigh Valley Mall?

That's a question clogging my email and voice mail baskets for several months.

Looks like patience is running thin, and I guess I can't blame people since Golden Corral hasn't been the most forthcoming with details.

Golden Corral officials have not responded to numerous attempts to reach them.

The mall's website says Golden Corral plans to open this summer.

The buffet chain plans to build at the former Chi-Chi's restaurant spot near Macy's, according to planning documents. Golden Corral has blossomed in popularity thanks in part to its nonstop television commercials touting its food, and lately the chocolate waterfall.

Golden Corral used to be on Chestnut Street in Emmaus but closed years ago and currently has no Lehigh Valley location.

If Golden Corral doesn't open soon, I think an eager entrepreneur should charter a bus and offer rides to the nearest Golden Corral, which is in Bensalem, Lower Bucks County.

And riders could pass the time on the bus with some Golden Corral trivia.

Question: Which state has the most Golden Corral restaurants?

Texas has 59, outpacing Florida, which has 54. Pennsylvania has a mere eight, most of which are in the Pittsburgh region.

Starbucks is once again planning to open a free-standing location in Airport Center.

This is like deja vu for many who remember that the popular Seattle-based coffee chain initially planned a location in the Hanover Township, Lehigh County, shopping center when it opened in 2009.